Universal Nov. 16-18

[wholesomejoe]

Me and my girlfriend are going to a convention in November at a hotel right across from Universal Nov. 13-15. It's a Power Rangers themed convention called "Rangerstop". As part of our trip to that, we decided to spend the next 3 days at Universal. The last time I went was several years ago (like 3 or more?) Transformers was ALMOST finished but not quite, and the new part of Harry Potter was not open yet. So it's been a bit. However my gf hasn't been since she was a little girl, so everything will be new and exciting for her. A few years back she had an acting audition in Orlando (we're actors) and we went to City Walk for the night and ate the Italian restaurant there.

Because of how expensive our trip is just going to be in general we are probably not going to stay on site and will find a cheaper hotel that is close by. I'm still going to look into it and see how pricey it will wind up being vs. staying somewhere off site.. but the last time I did this it was MUCH cheaper and due to the time of year we went, we didn't really wait in any lines anyway. That was in February though. According to the crowd calendar it won't be too bad these 3 days with it being during the week and with it being NOT the week of Thanksgiving. With us already being there for the convention those are the dates I pretty much have to stick with.

I'm trying to budget right now and figure out the cheapest possible tickets and so forth. I don't really spend a lot of souvenirs but I'm sure she'll want SOMETHING. With just two of us, food won't be too bad. I'd love to keep the costs down and eat at a nice place or two during our stay. I've eaten at Three Broomsticks, and I've eaten at Mythos (I wasn't as impressed as everyone else seems to be by this place.. I actually liked Three Broomsticks more) and I've eaten at a few of the counter serve places. It seems like the best restaurants are actually in City Walk and not in the park.. from my experience.

We aren't picky and we'll eat pretty much anything. If any of the restaurants have amazing cheese fries with ranch dipping sauce.. I'm a sucker for those.

I also read that Hulk was down and will not be operational for quite some time. Bummer, wanted to take my girl on that one... but there will still be plenty of awesome stuff for us to ride together.

So anyway, that's enough rambling. I'm looking for where to purchase tickets for 3 days at the cheapest. I want to be able to go to either park I choose on all 3 days or bounce back and forth if I so desire.

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

Undercover tourist has two day park to park with a 3rd day free.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Cheap Tickets has rooms at Cabana Bay for 115/night & Royal Pacific for 220/night those dates (promo TRAVEL)

 

[wholesomejoe]

Looks like we might change our plans a little..

We are wedding videographers as well and we are shooting a wedding in Panama City on the weekend of the 6-8th. We'd be checking out of our hotel there on the 8th, and we've now decided instead of driving all the way back to Georgia, just to have to turn around and come all the way back (6.5 hours) the next weekend, we'd just check out of our hotel in PC beach on the 8th, drive to Orlando (5 hours) Check into our hotel in Orlando (whichever one we decide on) and go to Universal the 9, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Since the 4 days passes are only a tiny bit more expensive than the 3 day, and since the crowd calendar predicts it will be a tiny bit more crowded than our original days (mostly green/yellow) the added day will ensure we get to do everything we want to do. Then, we will check out of our Universal hotel and switch to our convention hotel which is the Holiday Inn right across the street from Universal, and do Rangerstop 13-15 and then go home after we are done with everything in Florida. Now my question is, if we did not stay on site.. would we need express pass on those days and would it wind up being just as expensive as staying on site at one of the hotels that include it with your reservation?